Damselfly (Ship)
Description A second-generation version of the standard Dragonfly, the Damselfy has the same general configuration, but has been totally redesigned along its main body. The thin wood 'skin' of the vessel has been replaced with metal and other similarly hard substances, and all exposed decks have been covered. A sliding hatch just behind the wings is used for the Damselfly's single heavy weapon. Crew Refinements in the layout of the Damselfly's wings reduce the number of crew needed to efficiently operate the ship to two. The helm is usually located on the enclosed bridge, behind a forward portal of glass, crystal, or metal affected with a Glassteel spell. As with the Dragonfly, the Damselfly's captain and spelljammer usually both serve in any other positions as needed. Often Damselfly captains will be loners, operating the ship much as a hermit's ship, shutting the universe out. Ship Uses Small Fighter: Although the Damselfly's maneuverability is relatively poor for a ship in its size class, it is well-armoured and carries relatively heavy firepower for a ship its size. As a result, Damselflies are sometimes carried by larger ships to serve as scout/fighters. These ships will often be used to cover the retreat of the parent ship if needed, rejoining the main ship at a rendezvous point later if possible. Such ships often sacrifice cargo space to carry additional weapons. Wizard's Ship: The Damselfly appeals to solitary wizards engaging in research for the same reasons that the Dragonfly does, and is used in a similar fashion. The Damselfly has the advantage of being better-protected than the Dragonfly, and it requires fewer servants to operate at peak efficiency. Monster's Ship: The small size, protection, and ease of operation of the Damselfy makes it an ideal craft for generally solitary, nasty creatures. The fact that an observer cannot tell if the ship carries a wizard, lich, or rakshasa provides a level of comfort for the user. Smuggling: Most smugglers prefer the more maneuverable Dragonfly as a smuggling vessel, but in areas in which a blockade must be run to complete a mission, the better-protected Damselfly is preferred. Ship's Boat: As with the Dragonfly, the Damselfly is sometimes stripped of its spelljamming helm and used as a ship's boat. Such shuttles are useful for short runs from a mother ship to a planetary surface and back, however most captains prefer the Dragonfly or the Mosquito for this purpose. Mind Flayer Scout: The enclosed, protected nature of the Damselfly appeals to illithid sensibilities, and the ships have been used as scouts and planetary landers by the mind flayers. While illithids generally prefer their own ship designs, the Damselfly is seen as an acceptable alternative for use in situations requiring subtlety, when an obviously illithid-operated vessel might attract too much attention. Other Configurations Super-Heavy Damselfly: In the quest for still more protection, a modified Super-Heavy Damselfly has appeared. The ship is given extra armour plating, increasing AR to 3, but giving the ship a very poor MC E, making it hard to manage in a fight. These ships have generally only performed well in combat against groundling vessels, and have quickly gained a reputation as 'full-plate coffins.' Alternate Shell: Enameled metal is the common covering of the Damselfly, often painted in bright colour to warn other ships away. Versions built by some space-based humans use bone, ceramics, or shells to the same effect. All of the ship's characteristics remain the same, except that the ship's saving throws are changed to that of the new material.